A British court has found Australian mining giant BHP liable for one of Brazil's worst environmental disasters. 10 years ago, a dam collapse near the city of Mariana unleashed toxic sludge downstream, leaving 19 dead.

London

The UK High Court has ruled that Australian mining giant BHP is liable for the collapse of the Fundau (Mariana) Dam in Brazil, which occurred a decade ago and caused widespread environmental and human damage. The disaster, involving toxic sludge released over hundreds of kilometres, destroyed homes, water sources, and livelihoods, affecting hundreds of thousands of people.

This legal action is the largest environmental group case ever brought in an English court, with 620,000 claimants and the potential for millions more to seek compensation. BHP has stated its intention to appeal, and a separate case to determine the scale of damages is scheduled for October next year. Meanwhile, a previous multi-billion dollar settlement between BHP and the Brazilian government has been slow to deliver effective redress.

Australian mining giant BHP found liable for Brazil disaster

Elation a world away as victims in Brazil absorb the news through video link of a landmark legal victory in London. Today, for me, I'm extremely grateful. I'm thankful to God and I never thought this would happen. The High Court has found the world's largest mining company, Australia's BHP Billiton, listed on the London Stock Exchange, liable for causing a Brazilian dam to collapse a decade ago, affecting countless people. The Fundau, or Mariana Dam, was filled with waste water from a nearby iron ore mine, part owned by BHP. The court found the rising water level, with chemicals and heavy metals continually added to it, was a direct and immediate cause of the collapse. It released an avalanche of toxic sludge across hundreds of kilometres, ruining homes, villages, water sources, lives and livelihoods. Lawyers have called it historic, the largest environmental group action ever in an English court, with 620,000 claimants and allowing millions more to claim compensation. Those that we have spoken to, and we have spoken to clients this morning, are obviously ecstatic. They have not managed to obtain a judgement of this kind anywhere, in Brazil or here. You ask questions about money and how much the claims were, but the value of a judgement holding a company to account and vindicating them is enormously valuable and they're ecstatic about that. BHP Billiton says it intends to appeal a separate case to determine the scale of possible damages will begin in October next year. Meanwhile, a multi-billion dollar settlement between BHP and the Brazilian government last year has been slow to provide social and environmental redress. So a significant legal process still lies ahead, but for the hundreds of thousands of claimants, a historic victory here in London, while a long, long way away in south-eastern Brazil, people are still struggling with the aftereffects of that country's worst environmental disaster. Jonah Hull, Al Jazeera, London.

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